Session-Aware GTPv1 Load Balancing

A monitoring probe, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store program instructions executable by the processor to cause the monitoring probe to:
• receive a first create Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context request transmitted from a Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN) to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) using a control portion of a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP-C);
• store, in the memory, a first downlink user plane (UP) Tunnel Endpoint Identifier (TEId) and Internet Protocol (IP) address obtained from the first create PDP context request and a first downlink control plane (CP) TEId and IP address obtained from the first create PDP context request;
• receive a first create PDP context response transmitted from the GGSN to the SGSN using the GTP-C in response to the first create PDP context request;
• store, in the memory, a first uplink UP TEId and IP address and a first uplink CP TEId and IP address obtained from the first create PDP context response;
• and
• identify one or more messages exchanged between the SGSN and the GGSN using a user portion of the GTP (GTP-U) as belonging to a given session in response to the one or more messages including at least one of:
• (i) the first downlink UP TEId and IP address, or (ii) the first uplink UP TEId and IP address.

A tangible computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor within a computer system, cause the computer system to:

• receive a first message transmitted from a Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN) to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) using a control portion of a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP-C);
• store, in a memory, a first downlink user plane (UP) Tunnel Endpoint Identifier (TEId) and Internet Protocol (IP) address and a first uplink control plane (CP) TEId and IP address obtained from the first message;
• identify a GTP header sequence number from the first message;
• receive a second message transmitted from the GGSN to the SGSN using the GTP-C;
• match the second message to the first message based, at least in part, upon the GTP header sequence number;
• store, in the memory, a first downlink CP TEId and IP address and a first uplink UP TEId and IP address obtained from the second message;
• and
• identify one or more messages exchanged between the SGSN and the GGSN using a user portion of the GTP (GTP-U) as belonging to a given session in response to the one or more messages including at least one of:
• (i) the first downlink UP TEId and IP address, or (ii) the first uplink UP TEId and IP address.